Urgent! M.O.T. Failure

[pinfold]

Have sourced some gaters now from the local motorfactors of all places, they are universal and you cut them down to size, only £9.23

Plus they did fail it on the handbrake!, but there is a clever little trick you can do by putting the car in high and pumping the break peddle hard, which will stiffen the handbrake up.

Not sure how this works, but me mate did it at the garage (ex bx er himself) and it works a treat!

Thanks for your comments all

Matt

[DavidRutherford]

Plus they did fail it on the handbrake!, but there is a clever little trick you can do by putting the car in high and pumping the break peddle hard, which will stiffen the handbrake up.

Not sure how this works, but me mate did it at the garage (ex bx er himself) and it works a treat!

That's how the handbrake is designed to be adjusted, but there's no need to put it on high.

[mnde]

What's it mean when the handbrake can no longer be adjusted by this method? I'm also getting some brake squeal when turning slightly to the right - I'm assuming there's something up with the handbrake cables.

Cheers,

Mark.

[DavidRutherford]

Probably means your handbrake cables need adjusting at the caliper end. I seem to remember that yours had a rather large amount of free-play at the handbrake lever anyway. 10 minute job.

[DLM]

What's it mean when the handbrake can no longer be adjusted by this method? I'm also getting some brake squeal when turning slightly to the right - I'm assuming there's something up with the handbrake cables.

Pattern-part handbrake cables are sometimes too long which throws everything out of kilter - especially if you only fit a new one to one side .....

Lack of auto handbrake adjustment can also mean your discs and/or pads are at the end of their life. I fixed a friend's BX this week which had been failed on excessive handbrake travel and the problem was half-worn discs and front pads almost down to the metal (new pads swiftly restored auto handbrake adjust).

On the subject of MOT tester misconceptions, the same MOT testers also regularly put an advisory on BXs with new rear spheres: they claim there's too much suspension travel and rear suspension is "soft".

[Way2go]

On the subject of MOT tester misconceptions, the same MOT testers also regularly put an advisory on BXs with new rear spheres: they claim there's too much suspension travel and rear suspension is "soft".

Also had a MOT failure after refitting rear spheres as there was the inevitable LHM still sculling about after this. Explanation did not shift tester from his belief that it was leaking . Took away & dosed area with LOTS of brake cleaner, returned for re-test which of course it passed.

[mnde]

Pattern-part handbrake cables are sometimes too long which throws everything out of kilter - especially if you only fit a new one to one side .....

Lack of auto handbrake adjustment can also mean your discs and/or pads are at the end of their life. I fixed a friend's BX this week which had been failed on excessive handbrake travel and the problem was half-worn discs and front pads almost down to the metal (new pads swiftly restored auto handbrake adjust).

Hmm... Another thing while I remember: before, if I held the brake pedal hard down, then pulled on the handbrake lever, it wouldn't shift very far at all (which I assumed was to do with the shared pad system). Now I can hold the brake pedal down *and* fully apply the handbrake.

Mark.

[Rob_e (UK)]

Sounds like I am quite lucky to have found an MOT tester that knows enough about Citroens to realise that the handbrake is on the front wheels, and to know that you should put the suspension on the high setting before trying to jack it up. I have had people, usually in tyre and exhaust centres where the person doing the work is younger than the car , that lift the car up with it at normal ride height and then and then look rather confused when they lower it the car just goes right down with the jack or lift and they can't get it out.

Rob